Baseball



Jan. 3, 1928.

A. F. HILTENBEITEL BASEBALL GLO/E Filed Sepi. 4. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1A. F HILTENBEITEL BASEBALL GLOVE Filed Sept. 4. 1926 2 Sheets-Smeer 2 II il A' ldfilllfll l! lll III IIIIII 4.

22cm/L m.

Patented Jan. 3, 192th UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT F. HILTENBETEL, CF CI'ICAGO, ILLINOS, ASSIGNOR 'O WILSON-WESTERNSPORTING GOODS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, all, CORPORTEON 0F DELA-wenn.

BASEBALL GLOVE.

Application filed September 4c, 1926. Serial No. 133,530.

My invention relates to gloves such as are used in playing baseball, andis particularly concerned with the provision of novel con formation andstructure for that type of gloves usually wornby players in the outfield and on the bases.

Among the salient features of my invend tion are:

First. The provision of a glove having l0 greatly increased durabilityand greatly prolonged life.

Second. The accomplishment of the foregoing result by the provision of aglove havingcertain external finger pockets integrally joined.

Third. The `provision of the foregoing features and others withoutaffecting disadvantageously the fit or feel of the glove on the hand ofthe player.

Fourth. The provision of a glove having a novel catching area comprisingthe area of leather between the first and second fingers-made by ashortened split Vbetween these fingers, together with connecting meansbetween the thumb and forefinger, giving a glove in whichthepoint ofcatch is `located farther toward the ends of the fingers, resulting inmore flexible impact resisting means without possibility of a fumblethrough the fingers or injuring the first two fingers of the player bysplitting or straining the latter too far apart.

Fifth. The provision of a glove having all the combined advantages of alight initt and fielders glove.

Other objects of my invention will appear fromthe following descriptionandthe accompanying drawings, in which similar 'characters andreferences indicate similar part-s throughout the several views.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view showing the palm and catching surface of myimprovedglove;

Figure 2 isa view Aof my novel baseball glove, partially broken awayshowing cross section of the finger pockets and the finger pocket coverswith the fingers disposed therein.

The baseball glove shown in Fig. `1 co1nprisestheusual pad or cushioningmeans (not shown), which `is enclosed in a sultable leather case orcovering. rlhis eoverf ing comprises a plurality of sheets or pieces"cfleather, of which l@ indicates the cuter palm covering, an integralpiece of leather including portions for each outer linger covering 25,27, 29 and 11, and also the rear portions of the forefinger 25 and thelittle finger 1l.

Referring to Figure l, it will be noted that the outer casing of thelittle finger is formed by folding the right end of this vthat part ofthe palm piece forming this finger are only stitched together down tothe point 19. From this point the remainder of the edge of the firstfinger casing is joined to the baclr piece 31 (Figure 2) and theremainingedge of the back piece 31 is joined to the edge of the secondfinger portion of the palm piece around the end of the second linger tothe point 18 where the split in the palm piece between the second andthird fingers terminates.

From the point 18, the baclr piece 31 is joined to the back piece 32, aswill be seen in Figure 2, and the remainder of the back piece 32 isjoined at its edge to the third finger portion of the palm piece aroundthe end of the third finger casing to the point 23. From the point 23the back piece 32 is joined to the flap 33 of the little finger casing,which flap is integral with the palm piece. Ars has been previouslydescribed, the remainder of the edges of the little finger portion ofthe palm piece are join-ed together to form the little finger portion.

lt will thus be observed that the first and second fingers are enclosedin the same out-er. casing from the palm up to a certain point 19, afterwhich the said outer casing is divided to form two outer casings for theends of the first two fingers. The second and third fingers are likewiseenclosed in the same outer casing up to a certain point between the seidlingers and the palm, but are joined, by en integral piece ot leather upto s point 19 between said tingers, being split 'trom there on to theend ot the lingers. ln a` similar manner the second and third outerlinger coverings 27--29 may be split a dis tance exceedingv somewhat thesplit between the lirst two lingers, but not yet extending' the wholedistance down to the palm. This arrangement may be varied, and the.lirst two lingers may be joined entirely, en integral piece 'et lesithercovering their torwerd surfaces, but l prefer to split these lingerssubstantially hslt the dista ce be- `tween the tips ot the lingersandthe palm,

and likewise to split the second and third lingersol the clove to edistance 18 substantially two-thir ls or threelonrtis the dietsnce tronithe linger tips to the palmier a. purpose lfurther to he described.. It,will be noted, that the split between the outer coverings 29, 1l ot the.third :ind little lingers is made extending substantially ell thedistance ,downA to the pelin, in the usual indiener or" construction ol,eleves et this type.

In order. that the glove may have the seme teel on the hand oit theplayer, and in order to ineke the glove lit upon his hand withoutslipping, I provide an inner lining ot the .usual type, having` ling-erpockets, 26, 28,

30 and l2 separated from each other, and having pertitionsentending ellthe way down between theA lingers to points 16, l? and 24. The spacebetween the respective outer and inner linings is lilled with cushioningineens disposed to protect the hand of the wearer, particularly at the pointof impact where the ball' is caught, the disposition ot thecushioning means in the present case being` practically the seme exceptthat here it is entended to else/protect the hand above the joined spaceot the linger pockets 25 and 27. The thumb pocket 21 with its lining'and cushioning means is constructed in a manner woll known tothoseslrilled in the nrt.

ln order to join the outer thumb casing 21 and the outer lorenger casing25 to lorm a better catching surface, l provide in adjustable connectingmeans 22 l'or connecting i said casing-s which may be made. ci any hat,

l'lexible Wear-resisting material, but which is preferably constructedas described in copending application of Archibald J. Turner, Serialllo. 133,824, liledl September 7, i926. ylhis connecting` means mayconsist in e plurality et parallel adjustable tension members coveredbya flat casing as shown, or a single flat. connecting memberv adjustablein length by buckling or tying.

The-adjustable connecting means thus provided between the outercoverings of the thumb and orelinger, presentingv ,a substantial area otllat surface between these digits, together with that portion ot theintegral i palm. piece covering the bases Ot the lirst and secondfingers. comprise :i catching area somewhat tarther extended towards thetips of the lingers then is possible in the ordinary type ot glove. Theapproximate area ot this (fetching surtnce is indicated hv the dottedoutline oli the hall 20 in Fie'. l. except that in actual practice thehall is l'orced farther in. between thumb 21 and foretingi'cr 251', theshape ol there members hein;r distorted to 'form a ponched catching areaol which thc connection 22 muy or may not lorm a part, dependingon howclosely thumb :'.l :ind torelinger 25 :ire held together. lint it willhe observed that by my invention a solid piece of leather is disposedbetween the lirrt and second lingers lor this catching surlzu'c, therebygreatly prolonging; the .lite ot the glove. illy invention alsopossesses the advantage ot providing a czilrhingisiu'lfrufc which willnot permit el injury ot the plsyers hand duc to .f-'plitti l the tiretnud second lingers, and by my invention the acl of cet-chinga ball ismade much more certain, because oit the decrease ot the pos sibility otlun'ible through the lirst and second lingers. By providing1 my novelouter casingv with a lining' having; lingers duly seperated, l haveprovided this construction in a glove which hns the same feel and lit:is the gloves hitherto made.

lVhilc l have illustrated and described the preferred formation etconstruction for carrying` my invention into ellcct, this is capeble otmany modilicntions without departing from the spirit of theinvention,and

l de not wish to be limit-ed to the precisedetails ol the lconstructionset lorth, but desire to avail myself et all ad uintages within thescope ol" the appended claims.

lllhat l claim as new :ind desire to secure hy Letters Patent et theUnited States is:

1. ln. e hand protecting covering, the combination ol alining hevingaplurality ot digit casings loosely litted to the hand, with en outercovering con'iprisinn :i single casingl for the lower part ot the tirsttwo lingers. separate casings lor the upper parts ot said lingers, andseparate casings 'tor thc rest ot the digits.

ln a hand protectingcovering'. the combination ot a, lining,` having); aplurality ot digitI casing-s loosely litted to the hand, with en outercovering comprising; a single casing .tor the lower perl: olf the firsttwo lingers, separate casings lor the upper parts of said lingers, andseparate resinns lor thc rest ol the digits, the trent parl ol saidouter covering con'iprisinp; :in integral piece.

3. ln e hand protecting covering. the comv hination et a lining;`having; a plurality ol digitloosely litted to the hand, with zinV outercovering,T comprising an integral front piece having` an outlineextendinginward to the pelin between the third and fourth lingers,inward a. lesser distance between the second and third fingers, and in-Ward a still lesser' distance between the first and second lingers, andmeans to cover the thumb and the backs of the fingers.

4t. In a hand protecting covering, the combination of a lining having aplurality of digit casings loosely fitted to the hand, with an outercovering comprising a single casing for the lower part of the .first twofingers, separate caeings for the upper parts of. said fingers, separatecasings for the rest of the digits, and padding between seid lining andouter covering.

5. In a hand protecting covering, the conibination of a lining having aplurality of' digit casings loosely fitted to the hand, with an outercovering comprising e front piece covering the front of the palm andfingers and the back of the first and little fingers, back pieces forthe second and third fingers, forming a single casing covering the baseof the first and second lingers, and separate casings for the tops of'said fingers and for the balance of the fingers, and a separate thumbcasing.

6. In a hand protecting covering, the conibination of a lining having aplurality of digit casings loosely fitted to the hand, with an outercovering comprising e front piece covering the front of the palm andfingers and the back of the first and little fingers, back pieces forthe second and third lingers, forming a single casing covering the baseof the .first and second fingers, and separate casings for the tops ofsaid fingers and for the balance of the fingers, a separate thumbcasing, and a substantially iiat joining ineens for said thumb and firstfinger casings. v p

7. In a hand protecting covering, a lining loosely conforming to theVdigits of the hand and covering the palm, and an outer casingcomprising an integral front piece, back pieces for the second and thirdfingers, and :i thuinb casing, said front piece and back pieces beingadapted to form a single casing for the base of the first and secondfingers and aV split casing for the upper ends of said ngers.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my naine this 31st day ofAugust, 1926.

i ALBERT F. HILTENBEITEL.

